O'Hara native to open Press House coffee shop in Sewickley
The drink is called a “milky way.”
The latte is made with housemade caramel and chocolate syrup, milk and control flow espresso. It can also be done as an uncaffinated steamer.
“Everything here is homemade,” said Hal McDonough, lead barista at Press House Sewickley, a coffee shop set to open later this month. “Most coffee shops use pre-packaged syrups.”
In this store along Broad Street, its lavender, vanilla, honey rose, chocolate, caramel and spiced mocha are all freshly made.
“Sewickley was calling out for this,” said owner Adam Randall, an O’Hara native who lives in Marshall.
Randall also owns Press House coffee on Pittsburgh’s North Side. It’s a wholesale warehouse facility where premium blends are made and shipped within 72 hours. Coffee is roasted in small batches.
A longtime coffee lover, Randall said he began exploring beans from around the world — and the hobby became a business. Personally, he takes his coffee black, but the shop will customize drinks for customers any way they please.
“Coffee should be how you like it,” he said.
The espresso machine is built in a way where most of it is under the counter to allow for interactions between guests and the barista.
“This is the nicest machine I have ever worked on,” said McDonough, the barista, a Maryland native who lives in Lawrenceville.
They will also serve fresh-squeezed orange juice and lemonade as well as the “Press House Palmer,” a mixture of lemonade and cascara tea, created by chef and manager Brendan King, of the Strip District.
The shop will sell homemade pastries such as blueberry muffins, carrot cake cupcakes and oatmeal cream pies – the filling is butter, heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar. They will also serve salads, toast and sandwiches.
The 1,400-square-foot first-floor space has plenty of natural light and built-in bench seating along the wall. The front custom counter is made of concrete.
Upstairs is a co-working space, versatile enough to host meetings or small events. People can rent space beginning in June.
“We are still finishing up some last-minute touches,” Randall said. “But we will be ready to open soon and serve you a fresh cup of coffee.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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